Unconventional Cinderella
by DarkBelieverAnge
Summary: Nyssa and Laurel were healing each other, but there was something missing. A party Thea Queen hosted answered all the questions. Lauriver endgame. Nyssa and Laurel brotp.


**A/N: This one-shot is Lauriver endgame. You have been forewarned. Normal copyright stuff... I don't own the DC characters, but I'm just borrowing them like the Arrow writers are.**

**Please let me know what you think! And beware... there may or may not be a plot twist. **

**Enjoy!**

_"__I have no where else to be," _were the words that repeated in Laurel's mind for over an hour after her dinner with Nyssa had concluded. She and the former Heir had exchanged phone numbers and Laurel looked down at her new contact entry. She bit her thumb while thinking about what she should do next. She sighed and hit the call button.

"Nyssa?" Laurel hesitantly asked as Nyssa answered. Laurel took in a deep breath. "I know you said you have no where to go… why don't you crash in my guest bedroom?"

"Are you sure?" Nyssa's voice asked. Laurel nodded and verbalized her decision. Nyssa sighed. "In exchange, I will help you… be prepared."

Laurel hung up the call and gazed around her apartment. She went into the guest room, which had been Sara's the last time she'd been staying longer than two nights in the city. Laurel tore the sheets off the bed and tossed them into the trash. She found her new sheets and put them on the full size bed. Laurel quickly cleaned the carpet in the room and straightened everything.

She heard a knock on her door five minutes later. Laurel opened the door. Nyssa walked in with two large bags. They looked at each other for a long minute and Laurel closed the door. She gestured the guest room. Nyssa walked in and took in the surroundings of the tan walls and bright lights. She gazed at Laurel. "Thank you. This is more splendor than I…"

"It's not splendor," Laurel remarked. She shrugged. "I like comfort."

Nyssa nodded. She put her bags down on the bed, which had dark blue sheets. She walked her way over to the simple dresser and pulled the drawers open. She raised her eyebrow at different articles of clothing in it.

"Sara's clothes," Laurel whispered. Nyssa gazed at her. "I thought you would want them."

Nyssa's eyes softened. "Thank you."

Laurel nodded. "I'll leave you to it."

"Laurel," Nyssa muttered. Laurel turned and raised an eyebrow. "Thank you… and training begins tomorrow. After your work concludes."

Laurel smiled and gave a small nod. She closed the door and left Nyssa in the room.

* * *

Laurel came home from work to food wafting from her kitchen. She set her bags down and walked to the kitchen. She saw Nyssa leaning over a pan, looking at the ingredients with an unusual intensity. Laurel crossed her arms and cleared her throat. Nyssa turned her eyes toward Laurel.

"Tea, to clear our minds," Nyssa explained. "And a hearty meal before we begin our transformations."

"Our?" Laurel questioned. Nyssa nodded. Nyssa took plates out of the cabinets and put the food on them.

"I am no longer the Heir," Nyssa continued. She quickly put the plates on the table and put the silverware with them. "My father has done a similar thing that yours did to you. Your transformation is to become a better warrior… mine is to become a woman, not an heir."

"I'll help you as much as I can." Laurel sat down at the table. Nyssa served the tea and muttered a prayer under her breath. Laurel raised an eyebrow again. Nyssa laughed.

"We will become accustomed to each other… as sisters?" Nyssa ventured. Laurel nodded. They slowly ate their meal, with Laurel telling Nyssa about her day. Nyssa told Laurel about her explorations of the neighborhood, which led Laurel explaining about different people in the neighborhood.

Then their training began.

Laurel swore, bled, and soaked her body with sweat. Then she got up and repeated it. Five hours. For six months.

* * *

Roy quickly caught on to her becoming more adept, especially when she made a similar move that Nyssa did with a sword, but Laurel completed it with her own weapon. He didn't say anything, of course, but only smirked at her.

Thea caught on two weeks in, and demanded that Laurel explain. Laurel invited her over for dinner. And Thea started her own transformation.

Laurel came home one night to Thea and Nyssa speaking. Nyssa told Thea, "You cannot control the actions of your father… but you can yours. You are a strong woman, and your mate knows that."

"Why are we talking about mates?" Laurel called out as she put her bags down. Nyssa and Thea turned to her. Thea flushed and Nyssa gazed at Laurel. Laurel sat down and poured herself a cup of tea. Nyssa handed her the honey. Laurel added some and then handed it back to Nyssa.

"Roy wants me to live with him," Thea stated. Laurel raised an eyebrow. Thea shrugged. "I don't want to burden him… especially with Malcolm prowling around."

"Malcolm can't dictate every decision you make," Laurel advised. She gazed at Thea for a long moment. "If our dads did, then we'd all be fucked up."

"Speak for yourself," Nyssa said primly. Laurel laughed at her. Thea chuckled. "I would be the queen of assassins. Instead, I followed my heart. And here I am."

"I miss…" Thea started. Tears came to her eyes and Laurel handed her a tissue. "Walter. Mom and Dad… why couldn't they be here?"

"Walter is here, if you let him," Laurel calmly told her. Thea nodded as she sobbed out her tears, again, at the loss of her innocence and her inability to control her guilt. Nyssa poured more tea and gazed at Laurel.

"Has Oliver figured out you have a house guest?" she asked. Laurel shook her head. Nyssa chuckled.

"I told him I'm shacking up with a crazy lesbian," Laurel smirked. Thea dried her tears. Nyssa chuckled at Laurel's description.

"Oliver… has been busy," Thea explained. Nyssa nodded and smirked at Laurel. Thea blinked. "You know?"

Laurel looked at Thea seriously. "He's not subtle. Especially to those that know him."

Thea nodded. She gazed at Nyssa. "We're going to a masked ball. You two should come."

"And watch Cinderella get the Prince?" Nyssa asked with reference to Felicity and Oliver. "I wouldn't miss it."

Laurel shook her head. "What else do we have to do?"

* * *

Oliver stood awkwardly next to his sister while they were greeting people coming to visit their family home for the first time in two years. Thea greeted people warmly. Oliver nodded and shook hands.

Walter walked toward them. Oliver stiffened up. Thea opened her arms and hugged him warmly. "I missed you."

"We saw each other yesterday, dear," Walter chuckled. He gazed at Oliver. They shook each other's hands. Walter turned his gaze back to Thea. "I will see you at the dance portion later, yes?"

Thea nodded and kissed Walter on the cheek. She whispered something to him and Walter nodded. Oliver and Walter shook hands again. Oliver glanced at Thea when Walter was out of hearing range. "What was that about?"

"Someone recommended that I reconnect with my stable father figure," Thea shrugged. "And I missed him. He's the person… the only person who can connect us with Mom and Dad, Ollie."

Oliver gave his sister a quick side hug before turning his eyes toward the door. Felicity walked in with a gorgeous green cocktail dress on. She came over to them. Thea shook her hand and Felicity gave Oliver a quick peck on the lips. She straightened his tie and smiled. "You look dashing."

"You're gorgeous," he whispered back. "Save a dance for me?"

She nodded. "Of course."

Thea rolled her eyes and turned back to the people coming up to them next. Before Felicity could walk away, she noticed Oliver's speechless expression. She turned back toward the door. Her hand froze on his forearm as Laurel and Nyssa walk into the house. Thea's face brightened and she reached out both of her hands. She grabbed one of Laurel's and then Nyssa's. "I'm so glad you both made it!"

"Wouldn't miss it," Laurel whispered. Nyssa nodded her greeting as she took in their surroundings. Laurel fixed a loose hair from Thea's hairdo. Thea smiled warmly at the older woman, and reached her hand out to touch Laurel's hair.

"I like the new shade," Thea stated. Laurel smiled. "Reminds me a lot of your earlier hairstyle."

"I won't ever go that light again, though," Laurel joked. "Neon blonde was enough for one visit… this is perfectly fine."

Laurel's sandy blonde highlights matched with her light blue dress. Nyssa wore a purple dress with her hair up in a tight braid. Laurel gazed at Oliver and Felicity. She smiled at both of them. Nyssa walked closely behind her, briefly hugging Thea, and then staring at Oliver coldly.

"Queen," Nyssa greeted. Laurel nudged Nyssa with her elbow and Nyssa shook her head. "I will be waiting in the other room."

Laurel smiled. "I'm sorry. She's been a little under the weather lately."

"Are you two…" Oliver rambled on. Laurel shook her head. He tentatively reached out a hand. He touched her right wrist and Laurel gazed at Felicity. Felicity stood motionless as she watched Oliver stare at Laurel's hair. "When did you get the highlights done?"

"This morning," Laurel answered. She smiled at Felicity. "You look beautiful. I'll see you two in a few minutes."

Laurel walked away, unaware that Oliver's eyes trailed after her. Oliver whispered to Felicity, "Let me greet the rest of the guests… then it'll be just you and I."

Felicity smiled and they kissed lightly. All the while Oliver was greeting people, he kept glancing back at Laurel. Felicity kept a tight smile on her face as she waded through the crowd to find Diggle and Lyla.

"Did you see Laurel's dress?" she heard Lyla whispering to Diggle. Diggle shrugged and his wife nudged him. "She came with Nyssa… does that mean they're dating?"

"You two gossip too much for secret agents," Felicity muttered. Lyla laughed at the statement and Diggle shrugged.

"When you've been in this business long enough, you realize that gossip is the base of it," Lyle commented. She handed her empty champagne glass to Diggle. Diggle nodded and went to find the waiter for more drinks.

* * *

Roy tapped on Thea's shoulder, on the other side of the room. Thea turned and grinned at him. She discreetly pointed to her brother and then Laurel and Nyssa. "He hasn't taken his eyes off her all evening."

"What's Felicity think?" Roy whispered. Thea shrugged. Roy shook his head. "You know they're in a relationship together."

"Nothing trumps true love," Thea commented. She watched as Oliver walked over to Laurel. She cued the musicians and live music started. Partners walked out to the dance floor. Thea smirked as Oliver grabbed Laurel's hand and they walked briskly to the floor. She watched them start to waltz, taking in Laurel's tense body posture and Oliver's irritated expression.

"He…" Roy began. Thea shook her head and he didn't continue. Roy presented his hand to Thea and they went to the dance floor too.

* * *

"What do you think you're doing?" Laurel hissed in his ear. Oliver grinned down at her and pulled her closer to him. "Felicity's not going to like this."

"Felicity be damned," Oliver whispered. He nuzzled his nose against her cheek and brought his mouth to her ear. "Why didn't you tell me Nyssa was training you?"

"Jealous?" Laurel taunted. Oliver nodded. Laurel scoffed. "Get over yourself. You can't have both worlds. Choose one and settle in. You chose Felicity."

"I never chose…" he began and Laurel gazed at him as if her were insipid. Oliver flushed. "I did."

"Like a first class douche," Laurel concluded for him. "And your sister is under the impression that we should end back up together."

"So, that's why she was scheming," Oliver nodded. He smirked down at her. "Should we give them a sight to gossip about?"

"You and Felicity," Laurel warned. She saw him shrug. She felt his lips against hers a millisecond later. Laurel laughed as he quickly ended the brief kiss. He smiled down at her and gave her a series of small, biting kisses. His eyes turned serious as he pulled her closer.

"You," he whispered. "No matter what happens next, it'll always be you."

"Don't say that," Laurel whispered. "And the reason why you did this was because you were drunk."

He leaned in closer to her ear. He said something in her ear that only she could hear, "You've been with me for the last seven years… I never lost your picture. You were the light at the end of the tunnel. Nothing can ever separate me from that… and you are the light. Please, let me light your way back."

Laurel stopped dancing and stared at him. He pulled out his wallet and showed her a worn picture. Laurel held the picture and stared at him. "Why?"

"I wanted you to know," he said as he lifted one shoulder. Laurel's eyes narrowed. He took a deep breath in. "She asked for a potential engagement date… and I thought of you. I always think of you. I can't…. I didn't want to if I didn't know you'd be okay with it… or if you had the feelings I have for you for me."

"You're making a mistake," Laurel chided. Oliver's grin vanished and he took a step towards her. Laurel backed up and was met with a wall. He invaded her personal space and drew her hands away from her body with his. He kept his eyes on her for a long moment before speaking.

"I made a mistake by telling you that we shouldn't do anything after Tommy died." He breathed in a large breath. "When you were kidnapped by the doll maker, I made the mistake of listening to other people about you clouding my judgment. I risked another woman's life to make sure you stayed safe when… I didn't know if you would live or die. I can't risk you…"

"Felicity can be your light," Laurel muttered. Oliver shook his head at her and smiled a devious smile.

"Run away with me," he murmured against her ear. "Leave the rest of the world behind… Damn the consequences. We'll figure everything out tomorrow."

Laurel narrowed her eyes at him again. He pulled her toward the exit with his playful smirk. Laurel laughed as he whisked her out of the room.

* * *

"It seems Prince Charming left with the Fairy Godmother, not Cinderella," Nyssa muttered with a happy grin on her face.

Felicity walked by her and Nyssa watched the woman approach the younger Queen. Thea turned and smiled at Felicity. "Hi. Are you enjoying yourself?"

"Not as much as you are, I imagine," Felicity accused. Thea shrugged both her shoulders and gazed at Felicity with a confident smirk.

"I helped them along, that's all," Thea confirmed. "Besides… it must be a Merlyn sibling thing. We have a weakness for Laurel's happiness."

"We?" Felicity asked. Thea grinned wider as a finger tapped on Felicity's shoulder. She turned. Her face went ashen.

"We." A man with short brown hair, similar eyes to Thea, and a very confident grin gazed at Felicity. "Also, we know how to fuck with Oliver the right way."

* * *

Oliver stood with Laurel on the pier. He looked down at his tense hands and tried to ease the tension from his body by breathing. Laurel looked out at the water. "Everything started here."

"I'm sorry," he whispered. Laurel shook her head. He gazed at her. Laurel smiled at him.

"We can't regret what happened… because we can't take the past back." Laurel wiped tears from her cheeks. "Living in the past only causes pain… I don't want you to be in pain. I can't afford to be."

"Then don't be." A voice called out from the other side of the pier. Laurel gazed at Oliver in horror. They both turned toward the voice slowly. The man strutted up to them and smiled. "I guess you have lots of questions."

Laurel smiled and hiccuped as tears rushed out. She hugged him tightly and he did the same back. Oliver came behind Laurel and hugged them both tightly. Laurel burrowed her face into his chest. "How?"

"Some people apparently can defy death… Guess I knew someone who knows a guy," he stated quietly. Laurel took in his facial features and touched his cheeks. She smiled with her tears glaring her vision. Oliver's hand came up to his shoulder.

"Why did she help you?" Oliver asked quietly. He looked at Oliver.

"She knew you two needed an ally… and someone to keep you grounded," he stated. He looked at Laurel. "It's me. I'm not going anywhere. Tommy Merlyn is here to stay."

Laurel nodded and kept touching his face. Oliver just gazed at Tommy. "How?"

"Two years recovery," Tommy stated. He gazed at Laurel. "They buried a dummy… and I was helped by someone Oliver knew back in the day."

Laurel kissed Tommy's cheek. "I'm just glad you're back from the dead."

Tommy kissed her cheek. "So am I… someone needs to keep you two grounded."

Oliver chuckled. "Can I get back to my love confession?"

"We all know it by heart, dummy," Tommy chided. 'Besides, who says I don't want a whack at bat?"

"Says the girl who owns the heart you two are competing over," Laurel commented. Oliver grinned at her and Tommy shrugged.

"I saw a hot brunnette standing next to Thea. I love you… but I know when I'm beat." He kissed Laurel on the cheek and whispered the next part in her ear. "Besides, you're not always the greatest person in the morning."

Laurel laughed and lightly punched him. Tommy grinned. Oliver hugged him closely and Tommy hit Oliver's back with a hard hand. Oliver let go and Tommy walked away from both of them with a wave. Oliver gazed at Laurel. "Guess even the gods want us together."

"What do you mean?" Laurel asked. Oliver gazed at Tommy's retreating back. He then looked at Laurel with a somber expression.

"For someone to come back from the dead… a sacrifice is always made." He shook his head. "I wouldn't want to know what the price of that action was."

Laurel's eyes narrowed. "We haven't heard from Malcolm in a few months."

Oliver's eyes widened. "You don't think…."

"Thea's last words to him were that she wished he'd died instead of Tommy," Laurel told him. Oliver had a sharp intake of breath. Laurel laughed a hollow laugh. "It was a selfless act… if he went out that way."

"What are we going to do?" Oliver asked her. Laurel crossed her arms and looked at him with a very sardonic gaze. Oliver grinned at her with a goofy smile. Laurel smacked his arm.

"She's not going to like you," Laurel stated. Oliver shrugged again. Laurel laughed at him. "Why aren't you taking this seriously?"

"I'm in love," he whispered in her ear. Laurel shook her head at him and they walked along the outside pier. They laughed and Oliver felt the years run off of them both.

* * *

Tommy walked toward Thea with a satisfied smile on his face. Thea approached him and he kissed her hand lightly. "I'm proud of you."

"You're not staying, are you?" she asked. He shook his head. She gazed down at both of them. "Did they say what they needed to say to you?"

"They didn't have to." He kept his gaze on his two best friends, with a sad smile on his face. "I'll always watch over them. They're your responsibility now. Don't let me down… little Sis."

Tears washed down her face. Tommy kissed her forehead and smiled his Tommy Merlyn smile. Thea touched his cheek and he wiped the tears from her eyes. She smiled at him.

"Thank God Robert showed us the light, huh?" he whispered. He looked up at the full moon and smiled. "It's midnight."

"See you soon, Fairy Godmother," Thea whispered as he disappeared into rays of light. She etched his gentle face into her memory and watched the last portion of him disappear once again from the world: his satisfied smile.

**_A/N: So.. this is definitely an AU one-shot. Unconventional Cinderella was what came to my mind after I watched the new Cinderella film (I highly recommend it!)._**

**_I hope everyone enjoyed it and please let me know what you think!_**

**_Until Next Time,_**

**_DBA_**


End file.
